Oddworld : Al's Oddysee
by TheManFromMudos
Summary: Ok, so have you ever played a game that was so enjoyable you wished you were really in it? If you ever played any of the games in the Oddworld series, you probably didn't. And neither did Al. Unfortunately for him, it was tough Scrab Cakes when he woke up in the land of Odd itself, Oddworld. Now, he must fight for his life to preserve all that is odd, and of course, himself...
1. Chapter 1

Oddworld: Al's Oddysee 

*DISCLAIMER: I would just like to say that I DO NOT own Oddworld Inhabitants, or any of the rights to their games. None of the views of any members of the Oddworld Inhabitants team are expressed in this story, and it is written specifically for the entertainment of the reader.*

Silence filled the air. Well, not quite. There was the distant sound of throbbing and whirring machinery, but apart from that, silence filled the air. It was soon broken, however, by the gradual approach of footsteps. Heavy footsteps. The workers scarcely looked up from the floor. They were more cleaners, really, although 'workers' sounded more dignified. Anyway, the footsteps came closer, and with them was an almost mechanical sound.

Another set of footsteps joined in at this point. These were lighter, and much less mechanical. The figure that was creating these footsteps was quite tall, and pale-blue skinned, with stitches at the corners of his lips. He came to a standstill directly in front of the worker beneath him, still scrubbing the floor in silence. And with a slight hesitation, the figure opened his mouth.

"Fo…" And then a shot was heard.

"Damn!" I exclaimed suddenly. "Another slig." I stood and went for a drink, still a little vexed by the arrival of the intruder. The game I had been playing was known as _Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, _and it was one of the best games I had ever played. This was mainly because it was set on an entirely different planet, in an entirely different dimension, and as such had it's own unique species that were indigenous to the particular location.

I had been playing the game for some time when I had been shot by the sadistic sligs and their cruel ways, and so felt it was about time for a break. My mother always said, "You get too absorbed in games like this, Al. It's as if they just suck you in!" And, to be fair, she had a point. Once I'd sat down with a controller, I could not be persuaded to take my eyes off of the television.

After a moment, I sat back down and picked up the controller once again, and delved back in to the land of Oddworld. I would make sure I completed this particular level before I went to bed. This, however, would prove slightly more difficult than I'd expected.


	2. Chapter 2 - Entering the game

Chapter 2

No sooner had I picked up the controller than the doorbell rang. I stood up and went to answer it, accidentally leaving the game unpaused. You know those games where you leave the protagonist standing still for so long, they start to move by themselves? Just a yawn or a stretch, or on this game an 'I dunno'? Well, as I went to answer the door, it did just that. Abe, the main character, stood yawning and stretching and 'I dunno'-ing. And then he did some more yawning and stretching and 'I dunno'-ing. And some more. And once I'd came back from the door, if I was in his position, I'd be pretty fed up of yawning and stretching and 'I dunno'-ing. And the weird thing was, he was fed up.

The main character, Abe, stood perfectly still on the screen, until he turned and looked straight at me. "So, you think this is funny, do ya? Makin' a Mud wait while you go an' answer your door?" I stepped back in shock. What was going on?

"Well, let's see how you like it." He said, a dark look on his face. And then, the electric went off.

Being quite early in the year, it was already quite dark outside by 5pm, so I couldn't see very much at all in this darkness. I managed to feel my way around to the electric meter, and inserted the key. Now, I was just going insane. On the little LED display, it read:

_Rupture Farms main power supply. DO NOT SWITCH OFF._

Ok, so I was officially crazy. I flicked the switch and went back to the living room. Only, the TV had gone. And the sofa. In fact, the entire room had been replaced. In it's place was a mass of throbbing and whirring machinery, but apart from that, silence filled the air. What was going on? This couldn't be real! It wasn't real. It was nowhere near real.

I turned and glanced down a long, dark corridor. There were numerous people scrubbing the floor along it. But they weren't human people. They were… they were… Mudokons. Loads of them, in worker's clothing. I glanced at the floor, only to find that I was… wait.

No, no why? It couldn't be. But it was. The titanium legs, the standard issue rifle, the H.U.D visor. I was a slig. A cold, heartless, evil, twisted, manipulative, disgusting slig. And I had at my feet a Mudokon. A dead Mudokon. I lifted the body up and looked around the floor for a name tag of some kind. I cringed in dismay as I read the name printed on the ID. Abraham Lure.


	3. Chapter 3 - To the Feeco Depot

Chapter 3

No. Of course not. He wasn't dead. He… couldn't be, could he? I mean, I was still trying to process all of this. In the last half an hour, I'd been sucked into a videogame, turned into a slig, and now I'd killed Abe! I must have been dreaming. It was the only logical exlanation. I'd fallen asleep, and the game had gotten to my head.

No sooner than I'd looked back up, I was surrounded by a group of other sligs, along with a glukkon. I instantly recognised him of course. It was none other than General Dripik himself.

"Well, slig. You'll be getting a…a…a … promotion, that's it. You'll be getting a promotion for this." Said Dripik, standing tall and proud among the short sligs.

"P-promotion?" I asked, shakily. "W-what for?"

"My Odd, are you blind or som'thin?" replied one of the other sligs. "Look who you got in your arms their. We've been tryin' to catch that Abe guy since Odd knows when!"

I could still hardly believe the fact that I'd just slaughtered an innocent mudokon, and what's more, one that would have gone on to save hundreds of others across Mudos. And here he was, in my arms. I dropped his limp, lifeless body and ran. Ran as fast as my hydraulic legs could carry me.

"Oh. Must be a… last minute nerves. Or something." Dripik's voice trailed off as I distanced myself from the group down the long corridor. "Okay, we'll just have to a… promote you when you a… get back… yeah."

There was only one thing I could do. Run. Until I could think of something else, I would run. There had to be some way to save Abe. There had to be. But I couldn't let the other sligs know. I'd die if they knew.

After a long while of running, I stopped. I had reached the train station. There was a train to the Feeco Depot soon. Since I was an employee now, I could get on for free, as far as I was aware. Soon enough, the train pulled in, and I clambered on board. Whatever was going on, I was sure that I would understand it later.

Upon arrival at the Feeco Depot, I noticed that there were sligs everywhere. As soon as I stepped off of the train, a large bunch of them began to crowd around me.

"It's him, it's him!"

"He caught Abe!"

"They should give HIM an executive pin!"

"That guy is an absolute legend!"

"Give him a medal!"

I could barely hear myself think. I was being swarmed by hundreds of other sligs, and there seemed to be no end to them.

"Hey. Hey! Make some room, coming through." I knew who that was instantly. "Hey, move it, MOVE IT! Hi, Mr… whatever. I'm Crig the Slig. So, everybody's wondering, how does it feel to have caught the Mudokon terrorist Abe?" When he put it like that, I felt quite proud of myself. But no, "Abe wasn't a terrorist." Wait, I didn't mean to say that. No!

"I beg your pardon?" said the shocked journalist before me. I had to think of something, and quick.

"I mean… he… he wasn't _just_ a terrorist. He was more than that. He was… an arsonist, and a… criminal mastermind." I braced myself for the reply.

"Well…" began Crig slowly, "I – I couldn't have put that better myself." A slow applause began at the rear of the crowd, which soon spread. Soon, the entire crowd was applauding, and chanting, "Abe's dead, Abe's dead, Abe's dead, Abe's dead!" As they chanted, Crig lifted my arm with his own and the crowd cheered enthusiastically. In a way, I was quite pleased. After all, I had caught what they saw as a criminal.


	4. Chapter 4 - Heading out

Chapter 4

The next morning, I awoke in a dank, dark room. After my recent 'transformation' into a slig, I had been obliged to live at the Slig Barracks, which seemed only natural. Glancing over to the right, I saw that the other bunks were already empty. A singe of pain rushed through my head. I had a searing headache. What had happened last night?

Upon leaving the bunkhouse, I looked around for the other sligs. There were none to be seen, although I could hear their familiar chatter in the distance. I turned and walked along to the canteen, and it came as no surprise when it was packed with other sligs.

"Hey, man" came a voice from the right. I turned and saw a bunch of sligs gathered round a table, stuffing their faces with food.

"Me?" I asked inquisitively.

"Who else?" he replied. "C'mon, siddown. Have a Scrab Cake." Reluctantly, I sat at the table with the group, and tried a bite of the purple cake before me. Surprisingly, it was delicious! I must've eaten about 20 of them in one sitting.

"Man, you sure are hungry, eh? You gotta geddup real early to get a good place in the line, tho'."

"I slept a little late, didn't I?" I asked with a mouthful of cake.

"Sure did. Mind you, that's probably cos' you was up all night getting' drunk!"

I paused for a second to swallow my mouthful, and then asked, "Drunk?"

"Yeah, drunk. Remember, we had a party cos' o' your promotion? You really musta drank a lot to forget the whole damn thing!"

"Yeah… Listen, I gotta go. There's… somewhere I need to be." I stood up and left the canteen, coming back to grab a last slice of Scrab Cake. As I left, the sligs at the other table shouted their goodbyes, and I was soon back in the bunkhouse.

At the bunkhouse, I looked in my locker for as much as I could scrape together. There was a half – eaten piece of Paramite Pie, a few packets of cigarettes, an unopened Mudokon Pop, and about 35 Moolah. Despite the fact that I was heading of to save the fate of every Mudokon on Oddworld, I'd have to eat something, so I grabbed the Mudokon Pop. I also took the Moolah, and then, I set off.

Reaching the train station, I climbed on board the next train to the Feeco Depot, where I planned to check the customer service boards. In my mind, I had a vague idea of what I had to do. There was only one species on Oddworld with the technology to save Abe, and I had to find their base of operations, at all costs. I had to go… to Vykkers Labs.

When the train arrived at the Feeco Depot, I looked around for any signage to point me in the direction of Vykkers Labs. None was present, so I asked around. Nobody really seemed to know. They were more concerned about why I'd want to go to a place like Vykkers Labs. Even the Vykkers that were wandering between platforms were of no use. I thought for a while that all hope was lost, until a long, spindly arm pulled me aside into the shadows.

"You want to go to Vykkers Labs," said the figure. It was unmistakably a Vykker. The three stumpy legs, the small, dark eyes, and the shriveled skin.

"Well… yeah." I replied reluctantly.

"Why? Why do you want to go there?" Just the shrillness of his voice made me want to smash him over the head with my rifle.

"Okay, I'll tell you," I began. "It's all to do with…" wait, no. I couldn't give anything away. "Say you did something, and you wished you hadn't. Would Vykkers Labs have the technology to fix this… problem?"

"Well… depends" said the Vykker in it's shrill, annoying voice. "Do you have Moolah? Cos' there's only one Vykkers Labs with that kinda technology, and they'll want a bit on the side to solve your, erm, problem." I thought to myself. How would I scrape together a large amount of Moolah like that?

"Well, when you figure out how to get the cash, you wanna go to Vykkers Labs 25. It was last seen over Western Mudos, somewhere called Ma'Spa, wherever that is."

"I can find it. Thanks for your help." The Vykker walked away to the Soulstorm Brewery platform. So, I had to cross the entire continent of Mudos. And it wouldn't be easy.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Working Week

Chapter 5 – A Week's Work

Ma'Spa was most well known for it's reputation as the birthplace of the Gabbit race, the most well-known of which was Latimire Munch. After a moment's thought, I realized that since I had killed Abe, Munch would no longer go on to save his Gabbit brethren, meaning another species that would become extinct, thanks to me. Anyway, Ma'Spa was far over on the Eastern side of Mudos, whereas I, at the moment at least, was in the Central/Eastern sort of area. That meant that I would have to travel, really travel. So, I decided to catch the Trans-Mudos high-speed train. That did, however, mean that I would have to buy a ticket. My employee ID card would do no good in a complete other country at the other side of the continent, and 35 Moolah was useless as well. I would have to save up.

Now, since my recent promotion, I was now in a quite respectable position, earning a quite respectable wage. About 700 Moolah, to be exact, which I'd learned was actually quite a handsome some of money for a slig to earn weekly. However, the promotion also meant that I would have to work for a week. And my new position, as it happened, was to sit, for the entire week, at the main gate control room, so as to protect Soulstorm Brewery from infiltration. From my gaming knowledge, I noticed that I was now in the same position as the foolish slig that had opened all three of the main gates for the possessed General Dripik, VP Aslik, and Director Phlegg in 'Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus'. I knew, though, that there was now no chance of that happening, thanks to me killing Abe. So it looked like my job would be pretty boring. But hey, it was only for a week. The train ticket was only 300 Moolah, after all.

The week that followed was actually quite unexcpected. Here's a brief montage of what happened, written in the form of a diary…

Wednesday: A delivery for the brewery came through. It was a delivery of a new 'Tear X-tractor', to extract tears, of course. Delivered fresh in the box from Vykkers Labs 09.

Thursday: Mudokon slaves were walked out of the brewery by an armoured Big Bro Slig. He shot dead ten of them when one tried to possess him.

Friday: New Jr. Executives for the brewery arrived. One of them walked in wearing a huge, ten-gallon hat. He was kicked out for turning up in inappropriate clothing.

Saturday: Everything was fine. Although, a Mudokon did die in the canteen when he fell into the enormous stew-pot in the kitchen. It took five sligs to pull him out.

Sunday: Day off, at last. Wandered out of the complex for a bit, but there's nowhere really to go. The place is mostly surrounded by desert. Found a Mudokon, though, trying to escape. I desperately wanted to let him go, but they'd kill me if they found out, so I had no choice but to shoot him.

Monday: Back to work. A possessed slig came through the gates and picked off twenty or more others. In the end, he was shot, though. He didn't shoot again after that.

Tuesday: Ah, some pay at last. Worked constantly throughout the day, as a business meeting was going on in the brewery. I must've let 50 or more Glukkons through the gates.

And so ends that montage, and also the working week. I'd managed to scrape together 765 Moolah, a quite desirable amount for most sligs. But now, I had to put the plan into action. I would set off the next morning, the first train of the day being at 6:45 AM. So, I headed back to the bunkhouse, and climbed into bed early. The next morning would mark the start of what was potentially a long, dangerous mission. The fate of Oddworld's entire future was at stake. I couldn't just let it lie. I mean I literally couldn't. I had a bizarre feeling that once I'd restored balance to the land of Mudos, I'd enter the real world again. And I had to go back. I wouldn't stay on Oddworld, not even for 10,000,000 Moolah.


	6. Chapter 6 - Just 5 Moolah

Chapter 6 – Just 5 Moolah

The following morning, I awoke at precisely 5:45 AM, half an hour before I was due to catch the train. I gathered up all of my Moolah and other belongings and prepared to leave. As I turned to leave the bunkhouse, I noticed a letter which had been placed on a desk that was by the door. Funnily enough, it was for me. It was a murky, white envelope with an enormous 'Rupture Farms' seal on the back. It was addressed simply as "Bunkhouse 327-G, Slig Barracks," and was signed "Management." I tore the seal from the back and opened the envelope. It was a note of congratulations for the new promotion, containing a slip stating the name I had officially been issued. There was also some form of military regalia, presumably my new badges of rank. I glanced back down at the letter, and there before me was the name. It was a hideous name. Awful. But I had it now, and I had to live with it. After all, I was now 'Security Commander Grike'.

Suddenly, I came back to reality, and realized that I had to press on and get to the canteen, regardless of my 'amazing' new name. When I did reach the canteen, I found it utterly deserted, apart from the Mudokon slaves, of course, who were forced to work in the canteen 24 hours a day, no matter how empty it was. I grabbed a tray and headed to the serving window. I took this time to think to myself. "If it weren't for me, these Mudokons would already be free." Anyway, after a hearty breakfast of Paramite Pie, I head for the Feeco Depot. By the time I arrived, the time was 6:05 AM. Ten minutes until the train left. I headed straight to the main desk and asked for a ticket.

"One ticket please. Mudos Mainline Trans-Continental," I asked nervously.

"Mnnn-mmm nmmm," mumbled the intern behind the desk, pointing to the price display above his head. Oh, no. It cost 770 Moolah. I only had 765. 5 Moolah short. And these weren't the sort of people that'd let you off with 5 Moolah.

"Excuse me a second," I said hesitantly, and I turned and ran in the opposite direction. 5 Moolah. Oh my Odd, just 5 Moolah. "DOES ANYBODY HAVE 5 MOOLAH?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I needed that Moolah, and I needed it now. I suddenly realized just how loudly I had shouted. I could hear Glukkons behind me, laughing.

"Hahaha, the slig wants 5 Moolah! Hey kid, I got 800,000 Moolah!"

"Yeah, a little short on cash, are ya! Hahaha!"

I turned and headed straight for the Glukkons. I just wanted to punch them both right in their faces. But, then I would die, being tortured agonizingly. So, I simply spoke to them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but could any of you please, PLEASE, spare me 5 Moolah." I closed my eyes and waited for the reply. I heard chuckling and then whispers as they talked it over. I opened my eyes.

"Sure, slig. Jr. Executive Blanser here'll give you 5 Moolah." I sighed with relief. Thank Odd.

"Yeah, I sure will," said Jr. Executive Blanser, "But… first, I want you to bring me five Mudokons, and shoot them, right here, for MY entertainment. Hahaha!" I stepped back at his proposal, and thought carefully. Then I decided, it was 5 Mudokons' lives taken, to save billions. I turned and went to fetch the first 5 Mudokons that crossed my path.

A few moments later, I returned to the two Glukkons, still stood waiting on the platform.

"Here are the Mudokons you wanted, sir." I said dryly to Jr. Executive Blanser.

"Well, what are ya waitin' for? Line 'em all up." He replied in a dark tone. I obeyed,

Standing all 5 of the Mudokons against the platforms edge.

"Good thinking, slig. Line 'em up there, an' there bodies'll just fall down off the platform's edge. Then, noone has to clean up, right? Hahaha!" I raised my rifle, pointing the barrel to the first Mudokon. It was bad enough seeing one dead in my arms, but to shoot 5 of them? Willingly? I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do it. But I had to. For Odd's sake.

"KILL 'EM!" came the command, and I immediately responded. I shot the first Mudokon dead, and then the second, and the third, an the fourth and fifth. And then I lowered my rifle, and gaped in shock at what I had just done. The thing sligs go through, for just 5 Moolah.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Journey Begins (Finally)

Chapter 7 – The Journey Begins (Finally!)

*NOTE – I apologise for the fact that the story is progressing so slowly. But get ready, because the pace is going to be picked up as effect from now! In this chapter, the real 'action' part of the 'action/adventure' genre kicks in. And thank you to all of my readers who haven't lost interest in the story!*

No sooner than the Jr. Executive had given me 5 Moolah, I sprinted back to the main desk, and practically threw the 770 Moolah ticket fee at him. He handed me the ticket, and I ran to the platform. I glanced at the giant clock that lumbered over the platform. The time was 6:44 AM. A couple of seconds longer, and I would have had to wait another 3 days for the next train. I stumbled aboard, and slumped into a seat by the window. I had a reputation for getting terrible motion sickness, so the window seat was the safest option for me. I heard the heavy thud of the doors closing, and the grand train slid out of the station. I had been on Oddworld for over a week now, but I was finally off, off to save Abe and Munch, the Mudokons and the Gabbits, and various other species native to Mudos. And as I sat, glaring through the magnificent windows of the silver locomotive, I thought to myself. Because, if I wasn't setting out on this journey now, the future of Oddworld would be tarnished. I now finally understood how it felt to be in Abe's shoes. And yes, I know he doesn't actually wear shoes.

The train seemed to travel forever. But the view was exhilarating. I suppose you already understand that the trains on Oddworld are not like the ones on Earth. They hang upside-down from the rails, which are suspended high above the ground. The journey really benefited, though. It made the view all the more splendorous. The train sped high across deserts, jungles, meadows, and even industrial areas. The horizon must've been hundreds of miles away, not like the miniscule 20 or so miles on Earth. You could see it all. Honestly, if you were in the right place at the right time, Oddworld was truly the most beautiful planet in the universe.

As the train rattled along the line, the likes of Vykker and Glukkon passengers slowly deteriorated, and the carriage began to fill with Clakkers and Wolvarks etc. It was clear that I was slowly traveling into Western Mudos. The door at the end of the carriage slid open and a pair of armored sligs walked in. They were dressed in conductors' uniforms, and carried no weapons.

"Tickets, please," said the first slig, "Can I see your tickets please?" I reached into my wallet and pulled out my ticket, ready to show to the conductors. Suddenly, a message came on over the tannoy.

"Attention all passengers! Attention all passengers! Due to recent lightning storms, the track ahead has undergone some damage. The ride may become temporarily turbulent. Please secure any items that may be moved around as effect by said turbulence. Thank you."

Suddenly, the carriage began to jerk and flick from side to side. It shook upwards and downwards, and shuddered violently left to right. The ticket I had in my hand slipped and fell, fluttering towards the window. I reached up and slammed the window shut, grasping for the ticket. I gripped it firmly in my hand, and sat back in my seat. But the ticket had gone. As I had sat down, the air ventilation shaft on the roof of the carriage had sucked the ticket right from my hand. Which was not good. Not good at all.

"Ticket please, sir," came a voice from behind me. Oh, dear. I turned and faced the heavily armored conductor. "Sir, your ticket please."

"I…I…" I began shakily.

"Oh, it's like that is it? Let me guess: You lost it did you?"

"Well… Yeah," I replied, looking down at the ground.

"No problem, mate," said the conductor, turning to the other slig. "We'll sort things out for you…"

"Oh, thank you so much for understanding!" I exclaimed, quite relieved. However, all relief left my body when the two sligs began to roll up their sleeves. "W-What are you doing?" I asked.

"Why, we're sorting things out for you, mate. Aren't we Derek?" I gulped. I heard Derek grunt in agreement, and without warning, the first punch landed.

My face was in unbearable agony as the two sligs beat me with their huge, armored fists. I jumped up, and ran to the end of the carriage. They followed close behind me as I dived across the seats of many angry passengers. I reached the end of the corridor and forced the door open. The wind rushed violently against me as I barged into the next carriage. I ran along the corridor, past more yelling passengers as the two sligs on my tail quickly caught up. I dived to the ground as one of the sligs smashed me over the head with his baton. It turned out that they did have weapons. Blood began to poor from my neck and I staggered back to my feet. The next carriage was just a few feet away, but the pain I was in was too unbearable for me to travel any further. There was only one more option. There was another door at the end of the carriage. But it was on the side. It seemed to be the only way, so I pried the door open. I was now drenched in my own blood, and the wind blew dust and sand into my eyes. I could barely see. The slig conductors, now so close I could feel them breathing down my neck, raised their batons high above their heads. I turned to face them, and raised my rifle.

"Gentlemen," I began, "I'm sure you'll always regret this. For on this very day, your chase along a crowded train, after a man who had no ticket, ended with you both… dying. Goodbye." I fired two shots from my rifle and, swallowing my fear, I leapt from the train.


	8. Chapter 8 - Fope

Chapter 8 – Fope

*NOTE – Due to it's brief and rushed nature, this chapter has undergone extension. The original chapter is highlighted in **bold**. Thank You.*

**I hurtled towards the ground at great speed, and on contact with the desert sand, my skull was almost crushed. Naturally, I was knocked unconscious**, as is often the case when falling from great height**. I must've lied there for hours, **the sand drifting over me gently, **when I slowly came round. I attempted to get to my feet, only to find that my mechanical legs had jammed **with dust and sand.** I couldn't move at all. I called for help as loud as I could, but soon realised it was hopeless. There could not have been a living soul around for miles. I had no choice but to begin slowly dragging myself in the direction of the railway line. There had to be some form of emergency telephone along the line somewhere.**

**For what seemed like ages I dragged myself along the line, finding little more than litter dropped from passing trains. Eventually, a small house came into sight in the distance. It was my only hope. I attempted to move towards it, but I was too exhausted to go any further. I slumped against an enormous metal support column, holding up the railway above, and fell **into a sort of conscious sleep**. I could hear what was going on around me, but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. Many a train rattled past along the line above me, and a sandstorm** slowly** began to take shape. But what was really peculiar was the barking I could hear. It sounded like a slog, but in these parts** of Mudos**? **Such a thing seemed impossible. **I was in the middle of nowhere. Sure enough, though, I could hear barking, and it was getting louder.**

**When I finally opened my eyes again, I was surrounded by a pack of **slegs, the similar in appearance, but all the more vicious cousins of the slogs. You certainly wouldn't like to be caught alone with one of them, I can tell you.

"**Leave him," came **a voice from behind the slegs. It was **the voice of a female, **perhaps** the owner of the slegs. "Let me talk to him." The slegs **slowly **backed away from me, and a short, grub-like creature approached **me, which you've probably guessed was A** Grubb, of course. She came towards me, **brandishing **a huge spear **and pointing it towards my chest.She slowly lowered it and came in close, taking my rifle from my side. It was clear that she didn't want to take any chances

"**Well, looky here," said the Grubb**, leaning backwards and climbing back to her feet.** "We got ourselves a slig. Don't often see sligs in theses parts. What's your name then, slig?"**

"**My…My name," I began, thinking back. "Oh, oh it's, er, Security Commander Grike, actually." **I breathed deeply, trying to recall the last half hour of my life.

"**Well, Mr. Grike," replied the Grubb, "You got a first name?"**

"**Yes," I said, "Alan." **I wasn't actually sure what my first name was, so I used my first name that I had in reality.

"**Okay, Alan. My name's Fope. Yeah, I know, I know. Unusual, isn't it? Parents couldn't decide between Fiona and Hope, so they compromised. Neat, huh?** Anyway, enough chitchat, we gotta get you somewhere you can get better. C'mon.**"**

**After I had been brought back to my feet by Fope, she began to walk me towards her house. **As we approached it, I noticed a barn, stables and pens. **It seemed **more **like a farm **than just a house**. The pens **were** filled with a variety of different animals, from both Eastern and Western Mudos. Slogs, paramites, scrabs, even a magnificent golden-brown furred Steef. **There was no pen for the slegs, but they probably lived somewhere more, let's say inescapable. There was also an empty pen in the far corner, presumably one that hadn't been filled yet. But what really unnerved me was something else. Laying against the barn wall, covered in rust and crawling with bolamites, was a pair of mechanical legs. Slig's legs. My blood ran cold. What did she really bring me here for? Why did she want me here? Was I her next farm animal?** The pen **seemed** unlabelled, **but it was hard to tell from this distance, **which was a great cause for concern on my part. After all, it wasn't as if she was just going to invite me in for tea, now was it?**

After putting the slegs away in the barn, Fope emerged through the doors, and firmly locked and bolted them. **"So, Alan**... Wait, are you alright**" said Fope, **seeing that I had turned as white as a sheet. A green sheet, mind, being a slig and all. But if I was a human at that moment, I would have been as white as a sheet. Fope, sensing my fear, walked towards the front door of the farmhouse and said something **that proved me wrong**. She said,** "You wanna come in for tea, **Alan**?"**


	9. Chapter 9 - The Beauty of Oddworld

Chapter 9 – The Beauty of Oddworld

The farmhouse was wonderful inside. Various paintings of the Oddworldian landscape covered the walls, and a fire roared away in the grate. A thick, wooly carpet covered the floor, and the chairs were made of what appeared to be slogskin. The tea was strong and black. I prefer mine milky, personally, but a drink was a drink, and I was in no position to pass up something to quench my thirst.

"So, Alan. What brings you to this side of Mudos, eh?" asked Fope, before drinking a mouthful of tea. I paused for a moment, wondering how on Earth there was tea on Oddworld. But when she said, "Alan?" inquisitively, I snapped out of it.

"Well," I began, trying to put my thoughts into words. Instead, all that came out was a slur of words, jumbled and incomprehensible, "Vykkabekillsligmeoddworldsavemudogabbits."

"What now?" Fope replied.

"Vykkers Labs, I killed, Abe save, Mudokons and Gabbits." I said once again.

"OK, try saying it to me more slowly." Fope said, clearly becoming rather impatient. I slumped back in my chair and thought about what I _was _doing exactly. I mean, what would I even do when "I got to Vykkers Labs 25?"

Fope spat tea across the room and got to her feet. "Vykkers Labs 25? Oh, no, that's a no-go for sure." A no-go? But why? It looked as if I was about to face complications.

As Fope went to make more tea, I pondered. Why was Vykkers Labs 25 such a bad idea? What were they keeping there, and who were they keeping it from? It was a dilemma to be sure. It looked as if I'd need help getting there. As I thought about this, Fope came back into the room with a fresh pot of tea.

"Now listen, stranger," she began, "I don't know what you're thinking of going to Vykkers Labs 25 for, but I'm telling you, it probably ain't worth it.

"Why not?" I asked, because by this point I was extremely intrigued by the mystery of this flying laboratory.

"Well, let's just say this." Said Fope, leaning in really close to my ear, "The less you know, the better." I stood up and looked at Fope, straight in the eyes.

"Now listen to me, Fope! The entire fate of Eastern Mudos rests in my hands. I need to go somewhere for the help I need, and I'm going there!"

"No, you ain't! You go to those labs, you won't be coming back!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take!"

"It's more than a risk, it's a FACT. YOU GO THERE, YOU DIE!"

"AS LONG AS ABE COMES BACK, I DON'T CARE ABOUT MYSELF!" I roared at the top of my voice. Fope stepped back and cowered in fear in the corner of the room, as I continued to yell violently. The room fell silent, and I took a deep breath before leaving the room.

No sooner than I'd reached the gates to the farm, Fope called after me, "Alan, wait! If you're going to Vykkers Labs 25, I wanna help you." I headed back to her, and she took me to the barn. She brought back out her pack of trusty slegs and then turned to me.

"Oh, right. You're more of a slog person, right? I'll get you a couple." We headed down to the pen with the slogs in, and Fope called on the two slogs that lay there asleep.

"Hey, guys. WAKE UP!" The slogs squealed and got to their feet. "Now, we're going for a walk." The slogs obeyed their master, and seemed quite friendly towards me. That was probably because sligs were the true owners of slogs, after all. One of the slogs even came to me for a scratch on the back. It was rare moments like these that made me think. Since my arrival on Oddworld, I have realised that everything is beautiful if you look at it the right way. Even the slog at my feet, which to others may have seemed repulsive and vicious, was a loving pet sometimes.

In fact, there were many things on Oddworld I'd come to appreciate, maybe even love. A part of my mind never wanted to leave, despite the chaos that I endured on a daily basis. However, another part of me longed to go home, and although I felt as though this place was truly amazing, I couldn't stay. I just couldn't. When I got home… _if _I got home, I'd miss this place.

And with that thought fresh in my mind, we set off down across the enormous desert, on a journey across the sand dunes. Ten minutes on, I looked back at the farmhouse, now fading out of view in the distance. "Now _that_," I thought to myself, "is the beauty of Oddworld."


	10. Chapter 10 - Insert Stranger Pun Here

Chapter 10 – Stranger Things Have Happened

*NOTE – OK everybody, I'm sorry about the wait, I do try to update as soon as possible, but I've been quite busy. Anyway, with the release of 'Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty' on the way, I'm hoping to get into the really good stuff here and give you more and more exciting chapters before the release. Don't worry, though, the story WON'T end before the game is released. Oh no, it's going to be a long one, and it could be a while before we get towards the end. So for now, just enjoy reading. Thank You!*

For what seemed like hours we walked, slowly trudging across the hot desert, until we started to get into the hills, where nature and civilization abound. I was particularly excited to see for the first time, with my own eyes, the splendor of Western Mudos. I'd seen it before, of course, in 'Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath', but to see it up close would be so much better.

After a while, we stopped. Fope gestured to me to get behind cover, which was not difficult considering there were now rocks and boulders everywhere, being in the hills and whatnot. She walked out of sight behind a large rock, and came back with a sullen look upon her face. I was about to ask what was wrong, when I was interrupted by a round of raucous laughter. I followed Fope to a gap in the rocks and peered through into a clearing. Oh dear. Wolvarks.

For those of you who don't know, the Wolvarks are the minions of Sekto, an Oktigi who eventually turned out to be a possessed steef, the host body to his Oktigi possessor. Sekto hired the likes of the Wolvarks to maintain his facilities along the Mongo River. They were a surly bunch, and would be difficult to get around, which was clearly why we'd bought the slegs and slogs. We had no alternative but to overthrow them. Or so I thought.

"Alan, you're up." Fope whispered enthusiastically.

"What, why me?" I replied, in an equally hushed tone.

"The plan's simple, Alan. You head through, pretending to be an ordinary slig guard with his slog. Then, you tell the Wolvarks that you've found an infiltrator downriver. They follow you to find said infiltrator, and I cross the clearing while you're gone. Simple."

"What about me? How am I supposed to get back?"

"Again, perfectly simple. You will tell them that the trespasser must've left, and they come back here with you. You then carry on walking to the other side of the clearing, to meet up with me, continuing as if you're just and ordinary slig guard." It sounded like a weak plan. I doubted it from the start. Nevertheless, it would have to suffice. So without further ado, I set foot into the clearing.

A few steps into the clearing was all it took. The Wolvarks all came towards me as soon as I was seen.

"Hey, you!" yelled one of them. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just trespass like this!"

"Please, my friends." I began, nervously. "I am just like you, an oppressed security worker with a dreary part-time job. I am from Rupture Farms, and I have been assigned to, uh… check on our sales round this part of Mudos."

"Now why would a security worker be doin' that?" asked one of the Wolvarks. Well, he had a point.

"I-I saw a, uh… few Grubbs downriver, I thought you might want to know."

"What? Well why didn't you stay with them? You'd better show us where they were. C'mon, guys. Bill, Ted, stay here and guard this area." Oh, dear. It appeared that my distraction would not be enough to move all of the Wolvarks. I had to improvise. I grasped at my chest, falling to the floor and pretending to be unconscious. The Wolvarks all gathered around as I writhed in pain on the floor. "Come on, Fope", I thought to myself, hoping that she would see what I was doing. Then, sure enough, I saw Fope and the pack of slegs silently crossing the clearing. Suddenly, one of them started whining, and then barking loudly. I sat up and grasped my arm, yelling at the top of my voice to cover the noise. Fope dragged the slegs to the other side of the clearing, and I stopped.

Getting to my feet, the Wolvarks all left, as if nothing had happened. I carried on to the other side of the clearing, and regrouped with Fope and the slegs. Oh, no. My slog. I'd left him behind with the Wolvarks. Fope tried to drag me back, but I ran back into the clearing to get him. One of the slegs followed me, and suddenly, all of the Wolvarks turned to see me, with an entire pack of slegs behind me.

"Get 'em!" Yelled one of the Wolvarks, and they all surrounded me. Without warning, Fope ran out into the clearing, screaming a blood-curdling battle cry. She launched a spear at one of the Wolvarks, and threw another towards me.

"C'mon, Alan. Let's finish these guys!" She screeched at me, and I dove towards the pack of Wolvarks. I thrust the spear at one, who raised his gun and shot at me. The bullets went straight over my head and hit another Wolvark behind me. Another shot me directly in the left arm, and I fell to the floor. As Fope came to get me to my feet, one of them ran towards her, to push her into the river. I shoved her out of the way and grabbed him, forcing him into the river. Then, all hell broke loose.

The faint noise of hooves began to resonate through the hills, and a magnificent steef ran into the clearing. Stranger. He fired off a couple of fuzzles at the few remaining Wolvarks, followed by a couple of bolamites. He came towards me, lifting me onto my feet, and then Fope, as well.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, and gasped when he glanced upon Fope. "What are YOU doing here?"

"Calm down, Stranger." Fope said, calmly, but Stranger refused to accept any of it.

"When are you going to let him go?" He demanded, leaning in close to her face.

"Fope, what's he talking about?" I asked.

"The steef, the one back at the farm. Ol' Stranger here doesn't think it's right to keep him in captivity like that."

"Of course I don't!" Stranger exclaimed. "It's barbaric! It's exactly what I'm fighting against, FOPE! If that is your real name!"

"Wait, what? What's he talking about Fope?" I asked, trying to make sense of the last few minutes.

"He's just got his horns in a twist over his little friend!" Fope replied, her face red with anger.

"I've heard enough!" Stranger bellowed, slowly lifting his crossbow towards Fope.

"No, you can't do that!" I screeched. "Why don't we all just CALM DOWN?!" It had became apparent that Stranger and Fope were not exactly the best of friends. Stranger pulled back his crossbow, ready to fire. I gulped, and closed my eyes. I couldn't watch this. But it was about to happen. Fope was about to die.


End file.
